


If Told Something Enough

by Bullwinkle12



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers
Genre: Angst, Depressed Tony Stark, F/M, I'm bad at tags leave me be, Kidnapped Tony Stark, Tony Stark needs a hug...desperately, Tony Whump, Violence, Waterboarding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 00:52:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19735069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bullwinkle12/pseuds/Bullwinkle12
Summary: Tony is kidnapped by Justin Hammer, who is looking for revenge. While he is searched for by his team, he is beaten, tortured. Told that no one is worried about him, no one is looking for him. He begins to believe the words. As he grasps onto the only thing his mind can call truth.





	If Told Something Enough

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy (:
> 
> Just something my crazy brain came up with. I know it's not very long, buuuutttttttttt.....

The mind....well...it is a fragile thing. 

It can only take so much before it cracks and shatters into a million tiny pieces. Until it can’t be healed anymore. It grasps onto the only thing it can call truth, even if it isn’t. Sometimes, it’s unhealable, unfixable. 

“Your team will never come for you!” The man yelled, slamming his hands down onto the table. None other than Tony Stark was sitting in a chair, tied up. “Now, you are going to listen and listen well. I don’t like you Stark. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you suffer. Get the water.”

Cold, harsh fear rippled through Tony’s bones. They weren’t gonna do that...Were they? Tony was grabbed. With his hands still tied behind his back, he was pulled into a standing position. Only to be dunked under water. He struggled, memories from his time back in Afghanistan coming back to him in a vivid flashback. 

_ Afghanistan. He was back. Being dunked under the water. Being suffocated. Coming back up gasping for air, only to be slammed back into the water and held there.  _

Tony was brought back up, gasping and coughing. They continued this until Tony was too tired to even hold himself up.

Now, on the floor, lay a very tired. Soaked, hurt, whimpering Tony Stark. He lost any and all form of time. He didn’t know if he’d been there for mere hours or days. 

Tony Stark was naught but a shell of a man, broken down, flashbacks hitting him like a truck, exhausted, and scared. But, most of all, heartbroken to know that no one would come for him. No one wants him. No one cares about him. He’s just a narcissistic asshole...right?

_ “Big man in a suit of armor, take that off. What are you?” _

‘Nothing…’ Tony thought to himself as he remembered an argument with Steve. ‘Maybe they don’t need me…they haven’t come yet…’ 

“Stark men are made of iron…” He whispered. Before falling unconscious. 

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Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, and Thor all stood in a room with Nick Fury and a very much alive Phil Coulson. Steve was pacing. For a week, they have been searching for Tony. There was no sign of him anywhere. Even Jarvis couldn’t pinpoint where he was. Pepper was worried out of her mind. 

When the Avengers finally got to know Tony, they rethought everything they initially thought about him. He became like a brother to them. “We must find Man of Iron,” Thor said. Everyone knew that. 

They  **_had_ ** to find Tony. So, out they went to do more searching. Tony was valuable to their team. It didn’t take long for them to realize that he was more than just Iron man. He was more than just an owner of SI. With him gone, they realized that they missed his snarky remarks. That they missed  _ him _ . 

Pepper paced the room. She was entirely too worried about Tony to do much with the business. 

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Loud footsteps entered Tony’s ears as he was startled awake.  _ ‘Will I ever get a break...why can’t they just kill me already…?’ _ Despite everything he was told.  _ “Stark men are made of iron” _ He allowed tears to slide down his cheeks. He was mere skin and bones, they barely fed him. He hoped that if he didn’t eat what was given, he’d die sooner. Tony Stark had never wanted to die so much in his entire life. 

None other than Justin Hammer walked in. “Get up Stark! MOVE!” He yelled, kicking Tony in the ribs. Tony begrudgingly, painfully, stood to his feet. “We have work to do.”

“Just kill me now and be done with it.”

“Oh. But that would take all the fun out of this.” Justin gestured to Tony who could barely stand on his own two feet. 

Tony could have broken down right then and there. But, two men were holding him up. He glared furiously at Hammer. He was pushed harshly. “Move.” 

“I’m going. I’m going,” he spat as he moved his aching feet. He walked unsteadily, until his legs couldn’t hold him up and he blatantly collapsed. He was dragged the rest of the way without a single thought. 

He was taken into a room that had a metal table. He was strapped down to it, with no chance of getting free. The ropes were digging into his wrists. “They will come for me…” I said, uncertainty in my voice. 

“No. They won’t. They haven’t yet. They never will. They don’t care about you. No one does. Not your team. Not the world. Not even that precious Pepper of yours. Speaking of who...”

Tony snapped. “You leave Pep alone! Don’t you even think about touching her,” Tony growled, trying to fight against the binds. 

“Struck a chord didn’t we? Why do you care? You know she doesn’t.”

Tony looked away. Closing his eyes. ‘I know…’ He wanted to say. “Just leave her out of it.”

“Too late,” Justin lied, hoping to get a rise. “She’s already gone.”

Pain was all he felt next. Sharp, stinging pain on his arm. He tried to move away, but he was strapped too tightly. His attempts were weakened from lack of nutrition. More pain. On his chest, arms, legs, face. Sharp stabbing pains, and burning pains. The painful snap of a bone could be heard, along with a blood-curdling scream. 

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(Steve)

Finally, we pinpointed Tony. It took us a while, we weren’t even sure if we were right. But finally we found him. Storming in, we heard a loud painful scream. Tony. I ran. As fast as I could. We needed to save Tony. Now. 

Slamming open a door, I stopped in my tracks. There was Justin Hammer, standing over an almost lifeless form. Tony’s eyes met mine, disbelief clouded those brown orbs. They were dull. Not sharp like usual. I couldn’t stop the rage. I ran over, just as the man stopped and pushed him as far away from Tony as I could. I heard movement behind me. It only took two hits to knock this guy out. 

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Tony)

One minute, I know nothing but pain. The next, I’m looking Steve Rogers in the eyes. This had to be a hallucination. I could tell I’ve lost quite a bit of blood. I felt woozy and light-headed. Kinda sick too. How much exactly? I didn’t know. 

I saw a familiar face over me. Agent Coulson? I thought he was dead… 

“Stay with me, Stark.” The hallucination said. Everything from there was a fuzzy blur. 

“Lost….blood...get...here...!” 

I could feel the darkness coming. I couldn’t fight it. I didn’t want to fight it. I was tired of fighting. Breathing was getting hard. My vision was spotty, blurry. But, through the haze, I saw Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Thor, Agent, and….Fury? Now I know this is a hallucination. 

“Not….real…” I breathed out. “Just….a...dream…”

I didn’t miss the look of confusion on their faces before the darkness overcame me. 

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None) 

Tony uttered something about something not being real, before he fell completely limp. His chest stopped moving. 

Tony Stark was dead. Paramedics rushed in. It took a few, breathless minutes, but they revived him. They did what they could. 

Clint, Natasha, Bruce, and Steve sat around Tony’s bed. None of them mo ved until he woke up. Thor had gone back to Asgard, but was still worried for Tony. 

It took Nick Fury going in and yelling at them to get their asses moving to take a shower and eat something that they did finally, get up. 

Two days. Two days it took for Tony to finally decide to wake up. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bright. Bright blinding lights were the first thing that came to my awareness. A constant beeping sound was the second. Pain also came. 

A soft tickling sensation on my nose made me feel like sneezing. I, albeit with pain, moved my arm to get whatever was attacking my nose off. A gentle hand was placed on mine. 

“No Tony, leave that.” 

Huh. That voice was familiar. 

Suddenly, everything came rushing back at me. I felt my chest constrict painfully. I sat up quickly. Gasping for breath. 

“Shhh Tony, it’s okay. It’s okay. You’re safe now. Back down we go. Come on. It’s okay.” 

“Rhodey…” I breathed out. I could feel the tears threaten to spill over my cheeks. 

“Yeah, Tones. It’s me. Just breathe.” 

I felt my walls shatter. I let the tears fall. I was tired of being strong. I felt panic consume me. This had to be a hallucination. They didn’t really care for me. I must be dead. I have to be dead. 

There was the sound of a door banging against the wall. The panic rose even higher. Left me gasping for air, pulling my knees to my chest, holding my hands over my ears. The pain was overwhelming. 

There was a soft gentle voice. “Tony…?” A sniff. That voice…

“P..Pep?” I managed to stutter. I let my head rise, slowly looking up. There she was, Pepper. My beautiful Pepper. I felt my bottom lip wobble. It can’t be her...can it? 

“Oh, Tony…” She pulled me into a gentle hug. I breathed in her scent. Was this really real?

I held onto her for dear life. 

This was real. They were alive. I was alive. They came for me. 

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(None) 

Exactly a week and a half later, Tony was finally released from the hospital. It took him a while to believe that this all was real. And, he was still very skittish around everyone. But, they knew he would be okay. 

They were having a movie night at the Avengers compound. They decided to watch The Lion King. Tony was sandwiched between Pepper and Bruce, a blanket tightly wrapped around him. Steve was on the other side of Bruce. Clint and Natasha sat on the loveseat, Natasha’s legs were over Clint’s lap. Rhodey sat in the recliner. Thor was sitting on the floor, a bowl of popcorn sitting in his criss-crossed legs. 

The movie was disregarded as they all talked. “We really missed you Tones,” Rhodey said. 

“We’re glad you’re okay.” 

“Honestly...I didn’t think you guys would come…” Tony admitted. 

“Of course we would come for you! Tony, you are so important to us,” Steve said. 

Tony gave the slightest hint of a smile. Pepper turned her head and planted a soft kiss on Tony’s cheek. “I love you, Tony,” she whispered to him. 

“Tony, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” Bruce said. Tony began to sniffle. 

“Uh-oh...what did we do? Are you in pain?” Steve asked. 

“No. I’m fine...Just...thanks guys…” Tony rubbed at his misty eyes, a genuine smile donned his features. His eyes, the color of Honey and Whiskey, were bright. Yes, haunted. But, happy. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it leave a comment or kudos! Let me know what you thought!


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